Defining Moments
by Aenigmata
Summary: Mal/Inara. This is a sad, poetical fic about love and sacrifice in the 'verse. Angsty! Enjoy!


_A.N. Hello all! I posted this awhile ago elsewhere, but was unable to here until now! This is just a sad, poetical little fic that I thought I would test the waters with…Obviously, I don't own any of the characters or anything as Joss Whedon, the master of goodness such as Firefly, and some random corporations do. _

_Onward, brave souls…and pretty please review!_

It is a bit ironic how it can take a lifetime to finally reach one instant in time, and one instant in time to steal a lifetime.

It was ridiculous really. She shouldn't have even been there. There was no life-defining to be had that day; it was a simple outing, one of the rare and treasured few hours where the crew was given their leave, and one of those days where there had been a cancellation and high-paying clients were scarce. She had joined them in town, having heard Kaylee's squeals from a ways off and felt her heart racing even before she had seen _him_.

"Inara! What're you doin' here?" Kaylee had asked brightly, retracing her steps so that she could loop her arm in Inara's, and alerting the rest of the crew to her presence.

"Yeah, didn' expect to be seein' you for a few days. Pay wasn't good enough? Or maybehaps the young fellow didn't have quite as much stamina as you expected," Mal had sniped at her, earning him a sharp look from Zoë and a grunt of laughter from Jayne. She had felt her smile fade and her anger rise.

"I believe you saw him, captain, and he is under similar employ. Having been around men with guns and a need for petty thieving for so long, I know by now when there isn't much to be had," she had replied flippantly, noting with a demented sense of pleasure, and an extreme wave of guilt, the look of indignation and anger that marred his features. Wash had given a low exclamation of "Yikes!" that made Zoë emit a small snort of laughter as she had turned from Mal's death stare to a panicky Kaylee who was glancing nervously at Simon who had been pulling at his ear, visibly uncomfortable.

"Waterfall," River had whispered as they began to move again, Mal in an angry huff in front and she crossing her arms in indignation, glaring at the back of his head. "What _mei-mei_?" Simon had answered automatically. "Reached the edge, had to fall. It didn't want to, but it crashed anyway." As per usual, she had paid precious little attention to River's ramblings, or more accurately, insights, sighing with a knowing look at Kaylee who had simply given her a half-smile and sigh back.

She, Kaylee, and Wash had wandered into a cute boutique at the edge of town while Mal, Zoë and Jayne had met an unexpected, potential client and Simon and Book had chased after a curious River. They wandered placidly through the trinkets and what Mal had always called 'frippery', laughing intermittently as Wash provided commentary on the things they saw. Kaylee had found an adorable sun dress that she had promptly bought for her, despite all of Kaylee's feeble squeals of protest. "Just make sure to wear it in front of a certain doctor," she had winked suggestively, causing Kaylee to smile broadly and blush and Wash to adopt a fake look of disbelief.

"Our little Kaylee? And the doctor? I, for one, never saw that one coming, what with all the _subtle_ talks and glances…" She had laughed as Kaylee lightly punched Wash, who had thrown up his hands in innocence.

They had joined up once again and headed back toward the ship, an air of contentment surrounding them. Even looking back, there was nothing extraordinary about it. She had smiled as Kaylee had left her arm to boldly link her own with Simon's, causing a surprised, but pleased glance from him, a blush obviously creeping up his neck. Newly freed, she had slowed her own steps, falling behind a cuddling Wash and Zoe and animatedly talking Jayne and Shepard and fell into rhythm with Mal.

She had struggled for something to say, but coming up with nothing profound, or anything to avoid another argument, she endured silence and simply reveled in his presence.

She could not have seen it coming.

And why should she have? It had just _happened_. There had been lots of shouting and cocking of guns as they entered the cargo bay and before she realized what was going on, Mal had shoved her aside and barked at her to get to her shuttle as bullets rained against steel. She had made a move for the stairs, but stopped suddenly as she saw another gun man lurking behind some boxes. He had moved into position, his gun pointed at Mal, who had his back turned and was being punched by another adversary. The man had cocked the gun. In an instant, she had reacted. But it seemed like an eternity as she bolted at him, screaming his name, using all her strength to push him aside, replacing her body with his, and had felt the bullet rip through the flesh in her chest.

She had not screamed as she fell, the mere shock of having done it robbing her of her voice. She barely heard Mal yell her name, had barely seen him pick up his gun and put holes in one, two, three men in an instant, and had barely felt the vibrations of the floor as his knees collided with it next to her, her name still on his lips.

And now she is laying in Mal's arms, blood gushing, the adrenaline wearing away and the pain of each breath reducing her words to almost meaningless gasps. Not meaningless, she realizes as her heart finally reacts to the situation, silencing the torrid of superfluous thoughts that her brain is trying to supply to her lips, and saying automatically the three words that create the horridly beautiful mosaic that is blossoming on her new dress.

"I love you."

She feels his tears and she feels his lips. And she sees everything in a breadth of clarity. What she never said, what she didn't take, what she couldn't see, what she didn't do and what she never will.

But only for an instant.


End file.
